With internet access providing a constant source of connectivity to everyone, everywhere, there are more and more people working from home than ever before. Some choose to while others are asked to by their company to save on office space. There are benefits to home working but there are downsides too. If you are thinking about making a switch to home from the office then take a look at the pros and cons of home working first.

Pros

One of the most vaunted aspects of working from home is that you can more or less choose your own hours. You still have to be available for clients at appropriate times, but with no boss breathing down your neck you can schedule your own day as you see fit.

You can wear anything you like to work as nobody is going to see you. Some people like to dress professionally anyhow as it makes them more productive while others relish getting down to business in pyjamas on occasion.

There are no travel costs and you don’t ever have to factor travel time into your day, so it could work out that you actually earn more per hour even if your salary doesn’t change.

It is far easier to fit your work life around your home life, and if you have children you are always there for them.

You can set up your own office space exactly how you like it as there are no rules to apply other than those of your own sense of style.

In many cases you get to write off a proportion of your rent, fuel bills and other household expenses as tax deductible.

Cons

Many home workers miss the social aspect of working in an office.

There is nobody to motivate you but yourself, which can be difficult especially when you first start out. On top of this there are many more distractions at home such as TV, radio and books, and nobody to yell at you if you take the day off even when you shouldn’t.

It can be incredibly difficult to switch off after a busy day if your office is in the corner of your lounge. Without a physical boundary between work and home it can seem as if the two are one and the same and your thoughts are never far away from the next job to be done.

Family and friends often do not take a home work job as seriously as an office job. They may call up or drop by for long chats because they know you are home all day without taking into consideration the fact that you are actually very busy.

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